All About the NCIDQ Exam

About the NCIDQ Exam

The NCIDQ IDFX and IDPX Exams were updated for Spring 2016, according to the 2014 CIDQ Practice Analysis.

The new computerized version of the NCIDQ Practicum Exam (PRAC 2.0) was administered for the first time in the fall of 2017.

The exam is updated approximately every 5 years based upon the CIDQ Practice Analysis. The results determine the most important skills and capabilities for a competent interior designer, as relevant to current industry job responsibilities and practice.

These are the three sections of the NCIDQ Exam*:

Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX)

Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX)

Practicum (PRAC)

*Prior to 2013, the different sections of the NCIDQ Exam were called different names, for example Sections 1, 2, & 3.

Candidates must pass all three sections of the exam in order to complete the NCIDQ Examination and become NCIDQ Certified. Candidates must also pass all three sections of the exam within 10 exam administrations or approximately 5 years.

This window of time to pass the exam begins at the time the candidate is approved to register for all three sections of the exam.

Want a cheat sheet of everything you need to study for?

NCIDQ Exam Statistics

More designers are taking the NCIDQ Exam because they recognize the impact on their career.

Recognition of NCIDQ certification and interest in the NCIDQ Exam itself is on an exciting trajectory.

In 2016, CIDQ had a 15% spike in the number of exams administered and has continued to experience growth in each of the last 3 years. In 2017, CIDQ had a 17% spike in the number of exam registrations and has continued to experience growth in each of the last 3 years.

This continued and expanding recognition of NCIDQ certification as the standard for professionalism and competency is exciting to see.

Number of Exam Registrations

2018: 6502Registered

2017: 6681Registered

2016: 5719Registered

2015: 5120Registered

2014: 4776Registered

NCIDQ Exam Pass Rates by Section

People are always interested in understanding how individuals perform on the various sections. Here are the passing rates for 2018, which vary by less than 2% per exam section from 2017.

The exam is not easy but with some focused and dedicated preparation, it is attainable as these figures indicate.

NCIDQ Certification is a significant achievement. It represents your inclusion with a group of more than 30,000 certificate holders. It’s a pretty exclusive group with less than 1,000 very committed and dedicated people achieving this credential each year.

IDPX

PRAC

Why should I take the NCIDQ Exam?

About the NCIDQ Exam

Interior designers do more than select furniture, finishes, and paint colors. Competent interior designers include function, accessibility, safety and building codes in their design solutions.

Interior designers create spaces for hospitals, business, restaurants, hotels, in gyms and health clubs. They design environments anywhere that people work, live, play and learn.

Not everyone needs to take the NCIDQ Exam, and not everyone who wants to take the NCIDQ Exam is eligible to take it. But by passing the NCIDQ Exam, an interior designer can prove they have the minimum level of professional skills to protect public health, safety and welfare.

So it’s just a test, right? Not if your job depends upon it.

NCIDQ Certificate holders by state as of January 2015

Interior design laws may restrict you from practicing interior design or calling yourself an “interior designer” without a license. Licensing requirements, rights and responsibilities vary by jurisdiction. Interior design legislation affects about half the the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and the Canadian provinces.

Start with your local, state or provincial chapter of these professional organizations to find out about the interior design legislation in your area:

Earn More Money

In today’s competitive economy, there are more designers than jobs —

Get an edge on the competition by having the NCIDQ Certificate and earn more money — You deserve it.

A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that professionals who get certification (apart from their college and university-awarded degrees) can earn 21.38% more than their counterpart with only an educational certificate.

They also do better by 33.9% than those without any educational certificate.

The NCIDQ Certificate can help you earn more

Associates

Bachelors

Masters

Certificate/License

Doctorate

How Can I Take the NCIDQ Exam?

How to Apply

How can I apply to take the NCIDQ Exam?

Formal education in interior design is the first essential step to preparing for a career as an interior designer. The NCIDQ Exam tests and certifies the interior designer’s qualifications to practice competently.

There are 3 sections to the exam: IDFX, IDPX, and Practicum.

To qualify for the exam, you must have a college education, specifically in interior design. You will have to pass all 3 Sections of the NCIDQ Exams within a 5 year period, but you don’t have to take them all at once.

IDFX – Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (multiple choice)

IDPX – Interior Design Professional Exam (multiple choice)

Practicum – Applied design exercise solutions

You can apply to take IDFX after you have completed your education, but before your required work experience.

You can apply to take the IDPX and PRAC, after you have completed all your required work experience.

The number of hours credit you earn for your qualified work experience will vary depending upon who you work for.

If you are not supervised by

a licensed or registered interior designer

architect who provides interior design services

NCIDQ Certificate holder

or if you are self-employed, your work experience may only count for 1/4 to 1/2 the hours towards qualification.

You can apply to take the IDFX once you meet CIDQ’s educational requirements, even before you complete your required work experience. Pass this exam to get started on your professional interior design career. This is an excellent opportunity to test what you covered in school while it is still fresh.

Pass the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam and add an achievement to your resume. Show that you’re the type of job candidate that employers are looking for.

Follow the Qpractice Study Plan to thoroughly review the seven (7) NCIDQ content areas. This will not only help you pass the test, but also build proficiency in key skills you’ll use on the job.

Here are some examples of the types of topics covered per content area on the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam, and some recommended study resources:

Want a cheat sheet of everything you need to study for IDFX?

F1

Programming and Site Analysis

Review and understand different research methods and tools used for programming and site analysis. Know standards that determine functional space needs and how they represent the project context.

Become familiar with different tools used in site analysis to represent the client’s goals and space needs. As part of the schematic design phase, designers may use block diagrams, drawn to scale after bubble diagrams. These visually depict the spatial relationships developed in adjacency matrices.

Get double-duty from your study of site context, existing conditions, and sustainable attributes. You’ll cover some of the same content that’s in the LEED Green Associate Exam. Consider testing for it to add as a second credential after you pass the IDFX.

This content area includes 15 items worth 15% on the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam.

F3

Building Systems and Construction

An important aspect of interior architecture is close integration with building systems and construction. A designer should build up a knowledge base of how building systems work with the interior for all 3 NCIDQ Exams.

For IDFX, designers should learn to identify different construction types and building components.

Understand how different systems work and affect design planning for the interior. These building systems include mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

F4

Furniture, Finishes, Equipment and Lighting

Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment–aka FF&E, is a big part of the designer’s responsibility.

It’s not enough to select FF&E is that just looks good. Designers research product information to evaluate and specify FF&E most appropriate for the specific project. Factors include important life safety considerations like flammability, toxicity, and slip resistance.

IDFX content area 4 is worth 15%. There are 15 scored items on the exam.

F6

Technical Drawing Conventions

Designers work with many other professionals including architects, builders, trades and contractors. A consistent and uniform communication system with these and your clients is critical to your success.

Master the content for the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam with the Qpractice Study Plan.

Get a comprehensive review program organized to help you cover the NCIDQ Content Areas, online quizzes with explanations, and unlimited 24/7 access to the Qpractice NCIDQ IDFX Practice Test online. Learn More Here →

P5

Contract Documents

An interior designer may spend only 10 – 25% of their time “designing”. They spend the rest of the time working behind the scenes to make their designs a reality. The designer executes their vision through the contract documents that put the designer’s plan into action.

Skill in developing construction drawings and specifications will determine how successful the design is. These contract documents include the:

P6

Contract Administration

Contract administration is a bit like juggling – requiring balance and constant motion. The NCIDQ Interior Design Professional Exam covers contract administration from bidding through construction and project close out. And even after construction through post occupancy evaluations.

To pass this content area, you should understand the process throughout these design phases. Along with codes and standards, this is one of the highest weighted areas on IDPX, worth 18% with 27 questions.

P7

Professional and Business Practices

Professional interior designers understand their role throughout the entire scope of practice. This includes the business obligations of the designer, contractor, owner and others during the project.

Managing a successful and ethical design practice also involves professional certification, and knowledge of insurance and contracts. Other economic factors include budgeting, accounting and legal considerations, for example:

Scope of practice

Proposals e.g., time and fee estimation, RFP process, project scope)

Budgeting principles and practices (project specific)

Contracts

Phases of a project

Business licenses (e.g., sales and use tax, resale certificates)

Accounting principles (office/business)

Legal considerations (e.g., liabilities and forms of business)

Insurance

Professional licensure, certification, registration

Economic factors

Professional and business practices includes 12 items worth 8% of the exam.

Practicum

Practicum

NCIDQ administered the first computer based Practicum, (PRAC 2.0) in fall 2017. The exam covers the same competencies as the previous hand drawn exam, but is organized differently and uses several new question types.

The PRAC 2.0 exam content is organized into 3 case studies or collections of plans, programs, codes, and specs or schedules to solve a design problem. Each case study has 40 questions for a total of 120 scored questions.

Case studies represent the most common project types that interior designers deal with, including residential, small and large commercial spaces.